Staff Writer
The SWAPO Party Youth League condemns the selling of Air Namibia planes to Wings Aviation which includes WestAir.
SPYL Secretary Ephraim Nekongo said the liqudation of the national airline was made to pave a way for a private airline
“SPYL is saddened to learn that the planes that belonged to our now liquidated national airline; Air Namibia, are now being sold to WestAir. We have always maintained that the liquidation of Air Namibia was a concocted move to pave a way for a private airline, at the expense of our National Airline.
“Like the nation at large as well as the SWAPO affiliated NUNW, we relentlessly fought and objected to the liquidation of Air Namibia with the understanding of saving the jobs of our people, and to let the state to continue playing an active role in the economy of our country by owning strategic assets such as an Airline, as provided for in the preamble of the SWAPO Party Constitution,” he said.
Air Namibia was liquidated after government, as the sole shareholder, pulled the plug in March 2020 after it emerged that the airline accumulated about N$3.5 billion in debt and a government-guaranteed debt of N$2.58 billion.
When the government announced the liquidation in 2020, it stated it could no longer sustain Air Namibia and, therefore, it would be impossible for the airline to trade out of insolvency.
The obsolete national airline’s debt comprised N$2.3 billion owed to trade creditors and N$693 million in unpaid taxes.
David Bruni of the Bruni and Mclauren liquidators confirmed the trading of Air Namibia aircrafts to Wings Aviation.
“The planes were sold to Wings Aviation Pty Limited,” confirmed Bruni.
Nekongo further said the party’s Youth wing advised the government against the liqudation of the airline before it was liquidated.
“We have warned government throughout that the private Airlines will take over Namibia’s commercial airspace, and monopolize it to amass maximum profits at the expense of our people. Today we are shocked to hear that they are buying assets of Air Namibia such as planes, even though during the liquidation talks, GRN have assured us without any fear of contradiction that all the planes will be reserved, and GRN will do everything in its power to bring back a national Airline,”added Nekongo.
